2009 News Archives

History Made at the 22nd Annual Allies vs. Axis

December 6, 2009: On a cold crisp December morning frost dusted the windshields of awaiting participants while the sun peered above the horizon painting the sky burnt orange. This set the stage for the Dixie Region 22nd Annual Allies vs. Axis Solo event. Dixie Region commemorates Pearl Harbor Day with a Solo event where American and British vehicles compete against Japanese and German. Italian vehicles spend the first half of the event with the Axis and the latter half with the Allies. French run with the Axis or the Free French Allies. Swedish vehicles were neutral, of course. Participants decorated their cars in WWII fighter plane insignia, voted for “The Crappiest Run of the Day” and competed for special Allies vs. Axis trophy plaques, awards and prizes.

At precisely 7:53 AM, the same time the Japanese dropped the first bomb on Dec. 7, 1941, the first Solo run wave of attack at the Allies vs. Axis event was under way. Led by a dastardly duo – Mike Lollar (aka Japanese pilot leader Mitsuo Fuchida) and Marko Horn (aka German Ace pilot Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann) – The Axis team made their first run in a sneak attack, flying historic Japanese and German flags from their cars. All the Allies could gather as an initial response was a rather large foam butt-cheek display by J.D. Kemp (aka Allies Commander Nigel Shiftright) toward the duo as they exited the course and reentered the staging area. Much like the start of WWII, the Allies struggled to start their crafts and were unfortunately off to a slow start.

Entrants participated in their respective classes but also for their Allies or Axis team. A running total of Allies vs. Axis class wins are tallied to determine the overall winner of the event. After the first two of three run groups the Axis were ahead 11 class wins to 9. After the first wave of attacks the Allies had fallen into a hole that appeared insurmountable. The Axis maintained their lead until the third and final assault run group. Leading the way with class wins for the Axis was Marko Horn (aka Erich Alfred "Bubi" Hartmann) in EP, Peter St. Pierre in GS, Stephanie Lollar in DP, Steve Tillman in Novice, Andrew Millet in AS, Fast Phil Currin in CS, Larry Ferrell in ES, Lucas Grote in BSP, Tom Shuman in CSP, Brian Ratte in ESP, Natasha Horn in FJB, Brian Bell in ST, Sean Carey in STS, Rick Therrien in STU, and Matt Glagola in STR.

The Allies won during the final wave providing an overall win of 17 Allies classes to 15 Axis. Crappiest Run was awarded to an untold cone count and popular vote to Axis team member and EP driver Rob Heiser. Dixie Region also collected toilet paper and cash donations for the Leon County Shelter for the homeless. Plenty of event photo coverage posted on the Dixie Forum.

December 2009:Allies vs. Axis is back for it's 22nd year on Sunday, December 6th, 2009. Don't miss this unique commemorative to Pearl Harbor Day where it's America and British vehicles competing against the Japanese and German. Italian vehicles spend the first half of the event with the Axis and the latter half with the Allies. French, take your pick, run with the Axis or the Free French Alllies. Swedish vehicles are neutral, of course.

Decorate your car in WWII fighter plane insignia. Vote for “The Crapiest Run of the Day” and compete for special Allies vs. Axis trophy plaques, awards and prizes. You don't want to miss our largest and most popular local event of the year.

“Wipe Up The Competition” at Allies vs. Axis by donating the most requested supply needed by the Tallahassee-Leon Shelter in serving the homeless. The number one donation needed by The Shelter is of all things, toilet paper. They use 48 commercial size rolls of toilet paper a day, over 1400 per month. The Dixie Region SCCA goal is to donate a month’s supply of toilet paper to The Shelter. Please bring a package of toilet paper (commerical or regular size) on the day of the Allies vs. Axis event. If you can ’t bring toilet paper, then donate $10 and we will purchase the toilet paper for you. If every entrant donates a 24-roll package of toilet paper, we will exceed our month supply donation goal. Please help Dixie Region support The Shelter. Let's Roll.

Allies vs Axis ANNOUNCEMENTS

VENUE LOCATION CHANGE: South Georgia Motorsport Park double booked their track. Rather than change the date we changed the venue location to Spence Field in Moultrie, GA.

New Solo Safety Stewards Licensed

October - December 2009: The Solo Safety Steward (SSS) program is an ongoing training and licensing program aimed at increasing the safety of SCCA Solo events by highlighting the potential hazards. A SSS reviews and approves the event course, spectator areas, worker stations, Jr. Kart grid and access and exit from grid. A SSS also completes incident reports and files them with the national SCCA office. Dixie members Bryan Batchelor, Marko Horn and Rob Ippolito completed the SSS class in Atlanta last July, completed their training and became officially licensed in August. A SSS is required for all SCCA sanctioned events so their addition to the Dixie SSS pool is greatly appreciated and ensures our events can happen.

Discount on SCCA Historian Pete Hylton Publications

October - December 2009: SCCA members can get an additional 20% off of their online purchase of Pete Hylton’s books on sports car racing history. To get the discount, apply the following code in the appropriate box at checkout: SCCA20 . The SCCA historian and archivist has written “Ghost Tracks” (2007), “The Gentlemen’s Club” (2009), and “More Ghost Tracks” (Nov. 2009).

All books are available at pre-release discounts at Motorsports Racing Legacies website. With the additional savings, club members can buy all three books for only $52, a 48% discount off of MSRP. The discount applies to any purchase of $65 or more and is available only to the author’s fellow SCCA members. A portion of the proceeds goes to support SCCA programs and events.

Visit www.scca.com for complete coverage of the National Championship. A huge photo gallery of the event can be viewed at GotCone.com . To provide a sense of what it’s like to compete on a National Championship course, Robert Lewis posted two in-car videos on YouTube -- Day 1 and Day 2 .

Solo Safety and Kart Stewards Needed

July - November 2009: Dixie Region is seeking volunteers for Safety Stewards and Kart Stewards to work during Dixie sanctioned events. A Safety Steward helps plan and oversee the safety aspect of Solo events. They must understand and execute the regulations under which SCCA operates its events. Safety Stewards are responsible for spectator control and course design review. Solo events can not happen without a Safety Steward present. New Safety Stewards must attend a training seminar and act as deputy Safety Steward at two (2) Solo events. Contact Dixie Regional Executive Mike Lollar (850-459-5159) for more information and to sign up for the training seminar to be scheduled someday.

New Solo Event Online Registration at MotorsportReg.com

June - October 2009: Event registrar Tracy Lewis has set up a new online event registration account at MotorsportReg.com for all future Dixie Solo events. Speed through event registration and help our events run smoothly by pre-registering online for all Dixie Region sanctioned events online. "MotorsportReg replaces our MyAutoEvents online registration and the best part is the service is free to the club." says Tracy Lewis, " We encourage participants to use the service to speed up registration the day of the event which in turn will help provide more seat time for the entrants.

Dixie Teams Head to Solo National Championship in Lincoln Nebraska

September 2009: Three Dixie Region teams are headed to the SCCA Solo National Championship in Lincoln Nebraska in early September 2009. The 22 hour trip and annual week long event will enable them to complete against the best Solo drivers in the country. The three Dixie teams include: Team Sledge Hammer - Robert Lewis, Tracy Lewis and Russ Clark (CP "Lewis and Clark" Ford Mustang). Team Mean Green Machine - Marko Horn and Atlanta Region member Rob Heiser (EP Honda CRX). Team Austin-Mini - Tom and Diane Austin (DM Honda powered Mini Cooper). We wish them all the best against their competition.

August 15th & 16th Warm Up For Solo Nationals

August 2009: For Solo National Championship contenders located in the Southeast, Dixie Region is hosting a Solo event on the concrete at Spence Field in Moultrie, GA in mid-August. It has been said that the concrete at Moultrie is the closest to the Lincoln, Nebraska National concrete you will find in the Southeast which makes it ideal for anyone looking to practice for the National Championship coming in early September. For a preview of the Moultrie, GA, Spence Field site take a look at the July event coverage from the WALB Channel 10 video story below.

A Dixie Region Moultrie Solo event is confirmed to be held on Sunday August 16th. A test and tune is scheduled the day before on Saturday August 15th from 10 AM to 5 PM but is subject to a sufficient number of commitments. We need a minimum of 15 registrations to hold the Test and Tune. The cost for the Test and Tune is $40 (for online registration before noon on August 13th) or $50 (for on site registration). If desired more runs can be purchased for $1 per run or $5 for an additional 6 runs. If you have questions about the Saturday test and tune, then be sure to chime in on the Dixie Forum HERE or contact Marko Horn at 850-893-7179 or
Via Email.

July 19th Moultrie Solo - Announcements

July 2009: After many years Dixie returns to the concrete at Spence Field in Moultrie, GA to host a Solo event on July 19th.

Some cleaning is needed before the event so please come help us prep the site and set up the course the day before the event on Saturday July 18th at 11 AM.. There is some grass to be removed but for the most part the concrete is in good condition which should provide an excellent surface. Dixie members and faithful are encouraged to lend a hand. If you are able please bring a shovel and stiff broom.

Facilities at this venue are limited so Portolets will be provided.

On Sunday the 19th, the day of the event, we have arranged a local BBQ shack, Heavenly Home Cookin' and Bar-B-Que, to cater lunch. They plan to provide a large pulled pork sandwich, chips and a drink for $6.00 excluding tax.

Join us for some fun in the sun on what we expect will be grippy concrete.

WALB Channel 10 Video Is Back Online

July 2009: The news film crew from WALB Channel 10 covered the July 19th Solo at Spence Field in Moultrie, GA. It's probably some of the best coverage of an autocross to date. Reporter Wainwright Jeffers did a great job capturing the excitement and included interviews with Mike Lollar and Rob Ippolito. The video is no longer available on the WALB website so we have ordered a copy of the DVD. Thanks to Chris Yearwood for converting it to an MPEG file which was easier said than done, and to Robert Lewis for posting the video on YouTube. Watch the WALB video here.

Dixie SCCA to hold July 19th Solo Event at Spence Field in Moultrie, Georgia

July 2009: One of the many challenges of hosting an SCCA solo event is first locating and securing a suitable site for the venue. Dixie Region is fortunate to have one of the finest Solo event sites in the southeast to call home, the nearly 11 acre asphalt parking lot at South Georgia Motorsports Park located just north of Valdosta, Georgia. "While we are lucky to have such a terrific Solo site at South Georgia Motorsports Park, we are always on the lookout for new sites to include on our schedule", explains Bryan Batchelor, Dixie Region Solo Chairman. According to longtime Dixie member J.K. Jackson, "Back in the 1970s we held events at the FSU stadium parking lot, then moved to Tallahassee Community College in the 80s, the Tallahassee airport terminal parking lot throughout the 90s, then Bainbridge, Ga. Commodore Decatur Industrial Park starting in 2001 until we relocated to SGMP a few years ago."

Bryan Batchelor negotiated the use of the Spence Field airport with the Moultrie City Commission. Spence Field was constructed as a military training base during WWII and was closed shortly after the war ended. Today the City of Moultrie owns Spence Field known to locals as the location of the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo and Moultrie Automotive Swap Meet. The all concrete surface at Spence Field provides over 7 acres of course track. Spence Field will not replace our SGMP venue rather be an alternate location and allows Dixie to expand its Solo event schedule. The first event at Spence Field will be held on July 19, 2009. For directions to Spence Field or to register for the event visit the Events Schedule page.

Eight Runs at June 14th Flag Day Mini-Tour

June 2009: Dixie Region will commemorate Flag Day by offering extra seat time at our June Solo event! All participants will be provided eight (8) timed runs for the June 14th event at South Georgia Motor Sports Park. The event will be structured as a "mini" tour event, with the first four runs in one direction, and the next four in the opposite direction. The second course will be open for walking during the mid-day break. Fastest runs from each direction will be added for a total time, so you'll have to be on your game for each course! Traditionally, Flag Day is meant to honor "Old Glory," but being the politically incorrect region we are, Dixie encourages participants to celebrate with the favorite flag of their choice! Stand proud and fly your colors, however tacky they might be! Prepare for the return of the infamous "Sopchoppy Turnaround," and join us for a day of speed, excitement, mischief and mayhem, on the finest piece of Solo asphalt in the Southeast!

Official Start of the SCCA Solo National Tour Begins with Dixie Event

Ian Barber, Merchandise Chair, sold National Tour t-shirts at the March event.
Dixie Members, in coordination with representatives from the National Office in Kansas, staffed the event.

March 2009: The first event of this year's Tire Rack® SCCA Solo National Tour "Road to Lincoln" was hosted by the Dixie Region SCCA March 13-15. For the third year in-a-row, the South Georgia Motorsports Park hosted the Dixie National Tour to officially start the 2009 season. More than 250 drivers participated in the three-day event, which featured a "Test and Tune" on Friday and timed runs on Saturday and Sunday. Click here for event results.

"The SCCA National Tour takes National Solo on the road to various locations around the country. The events average more than 275 drivers from a wide geographical area, with most of the competitors coming from nearby states. These drivers come together to get a taste of the 'Nationals' experience of competition and camaraderie as these events are presented in a format similar to that found in Lincoln." (Source www.SCCA.com)

Dixie Region to Host First 2009
SCCA National Tour
Event March 13-15, 2009

January - March 2009: For the third year in a row the Dixie Region SCCA will host the first event of the 2009 SCCA National Tour, on March 13-15, 2009. The 2009 Dixie National Tour will again be held at the South Georgia Motorsports Park located 12 miles north of Valdosta, Ga. In 2008 this event hosted nearly 300 entrants, to date a National Tour attendance record, according to event chair and SE Division Solo Steward, Robert Lewis. 2008 SCCA Solo national drivers came from as far away as Pennsylvania, Michigan and California to compete in the prestigious event and we expect the same this year. Entrants must be SCCA members. The long weekend will include a Test-and-Tune, Tech Inspection and a Welcome Party at the track on Friday March 13th. Saturday and Sunday entrants will be divided into run groups with a different track course design on each day. This will be a great opportunity to compete against some of the best national Solo drivers in the country. For event details and registration visit the SCCA 2009 Dixie National Tour Webpage. You must be a SCCA member and pre-registered online to enter. See you at the National Tour.

Dixie Region SCCA Featured
on WCTV Sports

February 2009:
In addition to the more than 60 drivers who competed in the February 22nd Dixie Region autcross event, attendees included a news team from television station WCTV. Reporter Sam Lane came out to learn more about autocross racing and our local club. He interviewed drivers and even rode along with Sandy Heath in his street mod Mustang.

Click the play button on the player at right to view the video.

Dixie SCCA Supports The Shelter

Some of the Dixie SCCA donations

January 2009: The Dixie Region Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) recently donated over $300 in new undergarments to the Tallahassee-Leon Shelter. Located on West Tennessee Street, the Tallahassee-Leon Shelter (known as The Shelter) provides meals, lodging, and other services to Tallahassees homeless.

Dixie SCCA collected donations at their Awards Banquet on January 10th. Each member in attendance brought new packaged items such as mens boxers, womens briefs, socks, T-shirts, and pajamas. The Club wanted to give to our community, said Mike Lollar, Regional Executive for Dixie SCCA. We decided to focus on a specific need for The Shelter's clients.

When Lollar and Elise Batchelor delivered the items they were given a tour of the facilities by Mel Eby, The Shelter's Executive Director. Mike and Elise got a glimpse of what The Shelter's employees and volunteers do 365 days a year to help Tallahassees homeless. Currently, The Shelter serves over 225 men, women, and children each evening. To learn more about The Shelter and how you can help, please contact Mel Eby at 850/224-9055 or
Visit The Shelter web site.

Annual Award Named in Honor of Bill Forbes

January 2009: At the December meeting of the Board of Directors it was decided that the annual Dixie Region "Worker of the Year" award be renamed in honor Bill Forbes. Bill was a longtime member of the Dixie Region and very competitive in his Triumph TR3. JK Jackson recalls back in the day we used to attach a bullseye to the back of Bill's car because he typically ran the fastest time of the day in Solo. In addition to his winning record Bill was a kind and giving person with the club, always willing to lend a helping hand. He ran tech inspection for years and was such a skilled fabricator he could fix or fabricate almost anything. If you had an idea... Bill could probably make it. Bill Forbes left us on Christmas day 2007. While we will miss Bill, he won't be forgotten with the annual "Bill Forbes Memorial Worker of the Year" award.

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You can become a valued Dixie Region sponsor by contacting our Regional Executive, Mike Lollar at 850.459.5159 or .